I’m deceptive, but not because I want to be

I tend to do stuff that’s abnormal for a straight guy, mostly the way I wear my hair, and sometimes my shoes. I think people look at this and see me as someone who doesn’t think much of orderly conduct. I’m prepared for this, but it’s not true.

Among the incorrect things I’ve heard said about me (or to my face) are “gay”, “hippie”, “Democrat”, “Progressive”, “Liberal”, “crossdresser”, and “vegetarian”. When I open my mouth and they hear my opinions, I get “Republican”, “Conservative”, or “Catholic”, which are also wrong. “Libertarian” is close but not quite, and most people don’t really know this term. I think the problem is that the labels we use are limited, and I’m still working on labels for myself.